I live in a miniscule apartment in Mumbai, where, needless to say, we experience a constraint of space. Imagine my horror when I realised that my daughter was growing up and was now old enough to start demanding toys in lieu of books, cuddles, and pots and pans from the kitchen. At first, I indulged her and started stocking up on basic toys for her age group – the mandatory blocks, kitchen set, doctor set, train set, etc. But I soon realised that there was no end to the number of toys that she wanted and needed and there was no space in our house to accommodate her requests; besides which so many toys were one-time plays, like puzzles. It was then that I was introduced to the wonderful world of toy libraries!
These toy libraries are great for a number of reasons – in my case, I can get 12 top-end toys for Rs. 500 a month; each of which would cause at least Rs. 800-1000 if I had to buy it. I am supplying my daughter with a constant stream of new toys, without having to find the space to store them. Additionally, since these are educational in nature, I am also stimulating her curiosity and encouraging her intellectual development. And the biggest benefit for me – it is more fun for me to play at these toys with her than the boring and same old kitchen and doctor sets! Tip: To find the toy library that is closest to you, just go to Google! There is an astonishing number listed there. But do check out a few before registering at any.
